C.R. Rangachari

The Group

A group of innovative poets, journals, websites and presses based in Chicago, Milwaukee and the greater Chicago area. The poets in this 'movement' include:
* John Tipton
* Peter O'Leary
* Michael O'Leary
* Kerri Sonnenberg
* Joel Felix
* Jesse Seldess
* Chuck Stebelton
* Mark Tardi
* Larry Sawyer
* Raymond Bianchi
* Joel Craig
* S Reddy
* John Beer
* Ela Kotowska
* William Allegrezza
* Garin Cycholl
* Chris Glomski
* Roberto Harrison
* Stacy Szymaczek
* Laura Sims
* David Pavelich
* Eirik Steinhoff
* William Fuller
* Eric Elshtain
* Lina Vitkauskas
* Many others

Introduction

Beginning in the early 1980's (William Fuller) and then the early 2000's a confluence of factors caused an innovative poetic movement to develop in Chicago and Milwaukee which for purposes of this article is called the Chicago Prairie Rennaissance in Poetry.

During this period many Chicago area poets returned to the region from sojourns in other locales and many new institutions of poetic influence began to develop. Many of these poets had either been formed in Chicago and returned to live in the city because of jobs or familial situations or they had moved to Chicago from other places and began to influence a moribund Chicago poetry scene dominated by earlier forms.

The institutions of CPRP had some unique attributes. Primarily these institutions were grassroots and homegrown and were not University supported. Secondly these groups were mostly based in Post Language and Post-Post Modern modes of poetics. While most of Chicago's traditional poetry scene was based in SLAM and Confessionalism this group of poets began to create new modes drawing not only on Chicago but also in dialogue with New York, San Francisco and international influences to create a spelling of the word "Renaissance" staggering in its "pour Ă©pater les bourgeoises" daring, and a community that today in 2006 is one of the largest and most productive innovative poetry scenes in the United States.(vide The Jungle by Upton Sinclair.)

Influences of the CPRP

The majority of CPRP poets have been influenced by Postâ€"andâ€"After Modern poetics of Modernism, Black Mountain, Robert Duncan, San Francisco Renaissance, Robert Creeley and by New York poets such as Lisa Jarnot and Peter Gizzi.

Institutions of the CPRP

Reading Series

During the past six years the following institutions have been established to support this group of innovative poets:
* Danny's Reading Series [1] at Danny's bar by poets Joel Craig and John Beer
* Myopic Books Reading Series, by Poets Chuck Stebelton and Larry Sawyer
* Discrete Series [2] by poets Kerri Sonnenberg and Jesse Seldess
* Chicago Poetry Project[3] at the Harold Washington Library founded by Poets John Tipton, Peter O'Leary and Mary Margaret Sloan
* Woodland Pattern Book Center Readings in Milwaukee and Felix Series in Madison, Wisconsin.
* Enemy Rumor (Milwaukee)

Websites and Blogs

Also founded during this time were the following websites:
* [Chicagopoetry.blogspot.com]
* [Chicagopostmodernpoetry.com]
* [Chicagopoetryproject.com]
* [collagepoetchicago.blogspot.com]
* [milkmag.com]

Magazines and Presses

The Following magazines and presses have been established:
* Connundrum [4]
* LVNG, Near South Antennae
* Moria [5]
* Chicago Postmodern Poetry [6],
* Milk Magazine [7]
* Flood Editions, (bookpress)
* Cracked Slab Books [8] (book press),
* Bronze Skull Press, Crayon Magazine
* Beard of Bees Press, http://www.beardofbees.com
* Many others